BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) -- President Bush talked up his economic leadership Thursday, rounding out a California tour that gathered $5 million for his and other Republicans' campaigns and marked the start of bare-knuckled attacks on presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry.
``The economy is getting stronger,'' Bush said from an outdoor stage at a family-owned company, Rain for Rent, an irrigation system business. ``One of the reasons why I think we're doing so good here in America is because of the tax relief we passed, is because people have more money in their pockets.''
Bush's positive picture on the economy was designed to counter criticism from Kerry and other Democrats, who blame the president for job growth that has lagged behind other signs of improvement in the nation's fiscal health.
The Kerry campaign distributed new numbers Thursday showing that the unemployment rate in Bakersfield rose to 13.6 percent in January from 12.7 percent in December. Statewide, the jobless rate was 6.1 percent in January, compared with 5.6 percent nationally.
more.............
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bush.html